BEAR Scotland has already donated over £3,000 to several different charities and causes in the first three months of 2022.

In January 20 BEAR Scotland employees completed the ‘Doddie Aid’ challenge, covering a total 3,439 miles between them and raising £1,010 to raise funds to help find a cure to Motor Neuron Disease.

We have made a corporate donation of £500 to Rookie Rockstars, a mental health counselling service for young people.

We were also delighted to sponsor the Sporting Memories Foundation Awards again this year. This charity uses the power of remembering and talking about sport to tackle dementia, depression, and loneliness.

Earlier in March, Scottish SPCA was announced as our National Charity of the Year, after it secured a third of the votes in an employee poll. As well as undertaking fundraising events across the organisation, BEAR will have collection boxes for donations of items including food, bedding, and toys within its depots and offices for distribution to Scottish SPCA centres across the country.

Scottish SPCA head of fundraising, Natasha MacKinnon said, “We are delighted to have been chosen as BEAR Scotland’s charity partner of the year. It’s wonderful to be partnering with a business where the team are clearly animal-lovers and share our values.”

BEAR’s regional and local charity initiative also got underway in March. A £1,000 donation was made to The Lighthouse for Perth. The charity offers crisis support for anyone aged 12 or above who is at risk of self-harm or suicide, or who find themselves in emotional distress or crisis. This is the first of six £1,000 donations to be made throughout the year to regional and local causes across the country in areas where BEAR operates.

Additionally, we have also donated funds to two local community sports groups, Swift FC in Inverkiething and Dalgety Bay, as well as Dunfermline Rugby Club girls’ team, who will use the funds to purchase new equipment and kit and carry out facility repairs.